Customized User Interface Based on User Record Information

1. A method of customizing a user interface menu, the method comprising: providing several user records with which a user may be associated, each user record comprising a user grouping, where the user grouping is associated with a user characteristic; accessing the user record associated with a user to whom a user interface menu will be provided; configuring the user interface menu for the user based at least in part upon the user record accessed as being associated with the user, the user interface menu including one or more references to content; and enabling access to content based on user manipulation of the configured user interface menu.

2. The method of claim 1 in which the user grouping is associated with age.

3. The method of claim 1 in which the user grouping is associated with a level of maturity.

4. The method of claim 3 in which the level of maturity comprises a child maturity level.

5. The method of claim 3 in which the level of maturity comprises a young teen maturity level.

6. The method of claim 3 in which the level of maturity comprises a mature teen matunty level.

7. The method of claim 3 in which the level of maturity comprises an adult maturity level.

8. The method of claim 1 in which configuring the user interface menu comprises populating the user interface menu with pre-designated references to content based upon the user record.

9. The method of claim 8 in which enabling access to content comprises blocking access to content other than the pre-designated references.

10. The method of claim 1 in which configuring the user interface menu comprises automatically configuring the user interface menu.

11. The method of claim 1 in which configuring the user interface menu comprises configuring the user interface menu in response to a user action.

12. The method of claim 1 in which configuring the user interface menu comprises customizing a set of user interface menu controls displayed to the user.

13. The method of claim 1 in which the user grouping is defined by a master user.

14. The method of claim 13 in which the user is the master user.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing the user record.

16. The method of claim 1 in which configuring the user interface menu comprises configuring the user interface menu by a host system and enabling access to content comprises enabling access to content by the host system.

17. The method of claim 1 in which the user interface menu comprises menu elements that are independent of content rendered by a communications application, such that the menu elements being customized are independent of content rendered by the communications application.

18. The method of claim 17 in which the communications application comprises a browser, such that the menu elements being customized are independent of content rendered by the browser.

19. Th method of claim 1 in which the user interface menu comprises interface elements that are independent of content rendered by a communications application, such that the interface elements being customized are independent of content rendered by the communications application.

20. The method of claim 19 in which the communications application comprises a browser, such that the interface elements being customized are independent of content rendered by the browser.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein the user record is accessed by inputting a user identifier associated with the user.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein the user record is accessed independent of the content being accessed by the user interface menu.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the user interface menu is configured at least in part independently of the content being accessed by the user interface menu.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein configuring the user interface menu comprises configuring a favorite places menu containing the one or more references to content.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the one or more references to content are configured independent of the user.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the one or more references to content are preconfigured for the user.

27. The method of claim 1 wherein configuring the user interface menu comprises configuring a toolbar menu.

28. The method of claim 1 , further comprising enabling the user to manually add references or remove references from the user interface menu.

29. The method of claim 1 wherein the user interface menu for the user includes configuring the user interface menu to include the one or more references to content based at least in part upon the user record accessed as being associated with the user.

30. A computer program stored on a computer storage medium for customizing a user interface menu, the computer program comprising: a module to provide several user records with which a user may be associated, each user record comprising a user grouping, where the user grouping is associated with a user characteristic; a module to access the user record associated with a user to whom a user interface menu will be provided; a module to configure the user interface menu for the user based at least in part upon the user record accessed as being associated with the user, the user interface menu including one or more references to content; and a module to enable access to content based on user manipulation of the configured user interface menu.

31. The computer program of claim 30 in which the user grouping is associated with age.

32. The computer program of claim 30 in which the user grouping is associated with a level of maturity.

33. The computer program of claim 32 in which the level of maturity comprises at least one of a child maturity level, a young teen maturity level, a mature teen maturity level, and an adult maturity level.

34. The computer program of claim 30 in which the module to configure the user interface menu comprises a module to populate the user interface menu with pre-designated references to content based upon the user record.

35. The computer program of claim 30 in which the module to enable access to content comprises a module to block access to content other than the pre-designated references.

36. The computer program of claim 30 in which the module to configure the user interface menu comprises a module to automatically configure the user interface menu.

37. The computer program of claim 30 in which the module to configure the user interface menu comprises a module to customize a set of user interface menu controls displayed to the user.

38. The computer program of claim 30 in which the user grouping is defined by a master user.

39. The computer program of claim 38 in which the user is the master user.

40. The computer program of claim 30 further comprising a module to store the user record.

41. The computer program of claim 25 in which the module to configure the user interface menu comprises a module to configure the user interface menu by a host system and the module to enable access to content comprises a module to enable access to content by the host system.

42. The computer program of claim 30 wherein the module to access the user record includes a module for inputting a user identifier associated with the user.

43. The computer program of claim 30 wherein the user record is accessed independent of the content being accessed by the user interface menu.

44. The computer program of claim 43 wherein the user interface menu is configured at least in part independently of the content being accessed by the user interface menu.

45. The computer program of claim 30 wherein the module to configure the user interface menu includes a module to configure a favorite places menu containing the one or more references to content.

46. The computer program of claim 45 wherein the one or more references to content are configured independent of the user.

47. The computer program of claim 45 wherein the one or more references to content are preconfigured for the user.

48. The computer program of claim 30 wherein the module to configure the user interface menu includes a module to configure a toolbar menu.

49. The computer program of claim 30 , further comprising a module to enable the user to manually add references or remove references from the user interface menu.

50. The computer program of claim 30 wherein the module to configure the user interface menu for the user includes a module to configure the user interface menu to include the one or more references to content based at least in part upon the user record accessed as being associated with the user.

51. A method of customizing a user interface menu, the method comprising: providing several user groupings with which a user may be associated; accessing a user grouping associated with a user to whom a user interface menu will be provided; customizing the user interface menu based at least in part upon the user grouping accessed as being associated with the user, in which the user interface menu comprises at least one control; and enabling access to information or services based on the user grouping.

52. The method of claim 51 in which the user grouping is associated with age.

53. The method of claim 51 in which the user grouping is associated with a level of maturity.

54. The method of claim 53 in which the level of maturity comprises a child maturity level.

55. The method of claim 53 in which the level of maturity comprises one of a young teen maturity level, a mature teen maturity level, and an adult maturity level.

56. The method of claim 51 wherein the user grouping is accessed by inputting a user identifier associated with the user.

57. The method of claim 51 wherein the user grouping is accessed independent of the information or services accessed by the user interface menu.

58. The method of claim 57 wherein the user interface menu is provided at least in part independently of the information or services accessed by the user interface menu.

59. Method of claim 51 wherein the at least one control comprises one or more references to content.

60. The method of claim 59 wherein the one or more references to content are configured independent of the user.

61. The method of claim 59 wherein the one or more references to content are preconfigured for the user.

62. The method of claim 51 wherein the user interface menu comprises a toolbar menu.

63. The method of claim 51 , further comprising enabling the user to whom the user interface is provided to manually add references or remove references from the user interface menu.

64. The method of claim 51 wherein customizing the user interface menu includes customizing the user interface menu to include the at least one control based at least in part upon the user grouping accessed as being associated with the user.

65. A computer program stored on a computer storage medium for customizing a user interface menu, the computer program comprising: a module to provide several user groupings with which a user may be associated; a module to access a user grouping associated with a user to whom a user interface menu will be provided; a module to customize the user interface menu based at least in part upon the accessed user grouping being associated with the user, in which the user interface menu comprises at least one control; and a module to enable access to ion or services based on the user grouping.

66. The computer program of claim 65 in which the user grouping is associated with age.

67. The computer program of claim 65 in which the user grouping is associated with a level of maturity.

68. The computer program of claim 65 wherein the module to access the user grouping includes a module to input a user identifier associated with the user.

69. The computer program of claim 65 wherein the user grouping is accessed independent of the information or services accessed by the user interface menu.

70. The computer program of claim 69 wherein the user interface menu is provided at least in part independently of the information or services accessed by the user interface menu.

71. The computer program of claim 65 wherein the at least one control comprises one or more references to content.

72. The computer program of claim 71 wherein the one or more references to content are configured independent of the user.

73. The computer program of claim 71 wherein the one or more references to content are preconfigured for the user.

74. The computer program of claim 65 wherein the user interface menu comprises a toolbar menu.

75. The computer program of claim 65 , further comprising a module to enable the user to whom the user interface is provided to manually add references or remove references from the user interface menu.

76. The computer program of claim 65 wherein the module to customize the user interface menu includes a module to customize the user interface menu to include the at least one control based at least in part upon the accessed user grouping being associated with the user.